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A third of Londoners go out at night less
A survey conducted by ride-hailing firm Bolt found that 31% of Londoners are going out at night less compared with last year, with 56% citing rising costs as a deterrent.
The study was conducted in December 2024 in collaboration with Opinium and included 2,000 UK adults. Other reasons for not going out included safety concerns (37%), and a decline in open venues (17%).
Data from Bolt’s ride-hailing app also found that Thursdays are becoming the new Fridays, with the ratio of Thursday-to-Friday nighttime trips skyrocketing by 32% in the past three years.
In 2021, for every 100 people using Bolt to head out on a Friday between 6pm and 6am, there were 57 out on Thursday. In 2024, the number rose to 75.
The data also shows that the peak hours for nightlife have shifted by around one hour earlier. In 2024, the busiest time was 11pm on a Saturday, whereas in 2023, it was midnight.
Michael Kill, chief executive officer of the Night Time Industries Association, said: “These findings from Bolt underscore a significant challenge facing the night-time economy. With people going out less, and many citing financial pressures, our sector faces profound impacts on both footfall and business sustainability.
“The shift to earlier hours and the drop in late-night engagement are reshaping the landscape for nightlife, with venues struggling to adapt.
“As an essential part of our culture and economy, we must urgently address these issues with government and stakeholders to support the businesses and communities that thrive in the night-time economy.”
Newcastle, Bristol, and Edinburgh led the UK in night-time activity on Bolt, beating London. However, all three declined over the past year.
In Newcastle, 59% of Bolt trips were taken at night (down by 6% on 2023), while in Bristol the proportion was 56% (down 2%).
In Edinburgh, the figure was 55% (down 1%); in London, 52% (down 2%); and in Nottingham 52% (down 2%).
The survey asked respondents why they were going out at night, with the majority (55%) saying to visit restaurants, followed by 41% who were going to pubs. Bars straggled behind, with only 23% citing this as their main reason for going out, with clubs even lower at 11%.
Chris McMillan, operations manager at Bolt, said: “Nightlife has changed over the past few years, with people now preferring weekday evenings to big weekend nights out. However, our insights show that people are going out less overall.
“This is impacting businesses and individuals alike, from bars and clubs, to restaurants and drivers. We all have a joint objective of protecting and rejuvenating this essential sector, which not only adds billions to the economy but provides a livelihood for millions of people.
“Ride-hailing plays a key role in supporting the night-time economy, with our data showing that 22% of ride-hailing users rely on this mode of transport to visit bars and restaurants, attend events, and explore tourist destinations. In addition to being an efficient and safe way to get around, shared mobility gives a boost to businesses.”
The mayor of London recently created an independent taskforce to address the issues facing the capital’s nightlife businesses.
Last year we looked into what can be done to save London’s nightlife.
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